E3 2017: Xbox Wrap-Up

11. Jun, 2017

We here at PS Nation consider ourselves equal opportunity gamers so why frown upon the competition during the fabulous time E3 2017 offers. So with that being said, let’s break bread with the enemy, here is the latest news from the Microsoft Xbox event today.

The Xbox event opened with what everyone was expecting it to open with, the official announcement of what was once known as Project Scorpio. The artist formerly know as Scorpio is now born into the gaming universe as the Xbox One X. With a launch date of November 7, you can get your grubby little mitts on the shiny new tech once you pony up the $499USD asking price. The team kindly waited until near the end of the event to provide the firm pricing details since that is a steep asking price for a 4K/HDR console despite being the “most powerful console” on the market to date.

In addition to all of the detailed anatomy and technical specifications, it was noted that all Xbox One accessories and games are backwards compatible with the new X. Similarly to how the PS4 Pro does some performance and graphics enhancements to existing games, the Xbox One X will also provide graphic fidelity enhancements for Xbox One games when running on that console. And the other show stopping moment that got a good crowd reaction was the announcement that select OG Xbox titles such as Crimson Skies will also be backwards compatible on the Xbox One family. Original Xbox game compatibility really opens up the library of games to the Xbox console now, we’ll have to wait and see how far the program expands and what additional titles get this special treatment.

If that wasn’t enough, the Xbox One S will see a price drop to $249USD which isn’t a bad deal for a current gen console and puts it in line with the recent price cut on the PS4 Slim in the shiny new gold color.

In all, Xbox showcased 42 games, of which 22 will be console exclusive to the Xbox One family. Many of the titles shown were also “Xbox One Console Launch Exclusive” meaning we will more than likely see these titles on other console platforms after the designated launch window expires.

First out of the gate was the ever present Forza Motorsport 7 which featured some very high-end detailed car models as well as real-time weather effects and changing driving conditions. Also displayed was the worldwide reveal of the Porsche 2018 911 GT2RS, a car of the likes I will never be able to afford.

Next up was the next entry in the Metro series with Metro Exodus. The gritty, post-apocalyptic world was teaming with lush environments and ferocious enemies like some rodents of unusual size and packs of scavenging dogs. This will also see a PlayStation 4 release in 2018.

Then the lineup changed to something a bit more ancient with the official premier of Assassin’s Creed Origins. Living up to much of the leaked details, the next entry in the AC series takes place in Egypt with you as the main character Bayek. Much of the alpha game play footage included typical AC combat elements such as slow-motion kills, area exploration & recon and stealth mobility. This entry will improve character development with some added RPG elements and the story line helps to shape how the Brotherhood began. Origins is expected to release on October 27.

Additional games that were announced as console launch exclusives included fan favorites such as PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Deep Rock Galactic, The Darwin Project, Black Desert, The Last Night, The Artful Escape, Tacoma and Ashen.

In addition to the slurry of games that came fast & furious, we were treated to a pretty sizable sizzle reel for the [email protected] program. The montage captured a lot of what players can expect from the indie program on Xbox in the coming months.

You could tell that Xbox spent a considerable more time showcasing the Xbox console exclusives and announced before and during each highlight which games fell to Microsoft for console exclusivity. Notable mentions include State of Decay 2, which showed off some team building, home defense and story line choices all while fighting off a zombie hoard.

Sea of Thieves was another exclusive that showed extended play time with cooperative game play in a persistent pirate themed world open for exploration, treasure hunting and high seas combat.

One game that finally saw a release date of September 29, was the 30’s stylized cartoon side scrolling shooter/platformer Cuphead. This was one exclusive I wish was coming to the PlayStation shores.

Carrying on the family friendly aspect was another interesting platforming title called Super Lucky’s Tale. The reveal showed a colorful world with rich environments and what appeared to be a deep collection system. This was also the only title I saw that carried the “Play Anywhere” moniker.

The event also spoke heavily to the investment in Mojang’s Minecraft series which will be receiving the 4K treatment with a “Super Duper Graphics Pack” as well as what is a first in the gaming world, cross-platform play including mobile, PC, VR and consoles. Looks like fans of the series will be able to play with anyone at any time as well as share community driven content in the brick building world.

Rounding out the event were announcements including another Xbox exclusive Crackdown 3 which featured the humor of Terry Crews, Middle Earth Shadow of War game play, the upcoming release from EA and Bioware titled Anthem and a personal favorite of mine, the next installment in the Life is Strange series, Life is Strange: Before the Storm.

In all it was a very good showing from Xbox, the company many think lost this generation of “console wars”. With the release details of their new 4K/HDR console and plenty of games for everyone to look forward to this year and into next, let’s hope they have a solid lineup of hardware and software titles to carry them through whatever Sony looks to deliver this E3.